"1806 Prussian - Some Questions for Specialists" Topic

Hi Gentlemen

I am currently working on 1806 Prussian: I have some unanswered questions and I find pretty difficult to get some sources about that so if someone knows about I would be glad to have informations:

- What do the infantry colonel's saddle looks like ?
- Do Standard Bearers wear a bandoulier like the french to carry the flag staff ?
- Are the train and caisson for batalion gun the same as artillery ones ?

Many thanks by advance for your ideas.

Cheers

Franck
FG MiniZ
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FG

I'm sure there are a few who might have better info, but having worked on an 1806 Prussian Army for almost 20 years and not having my books handy, this is what I remember.

-What do the infantry colonel's saddle looks like ?

I do mine with red saddle cloths, but I've also seen them in dark blue

The actual saddle I've seen black leather or drk red leather, but I think Black is more correct.

- Do Standard Bearers wear a bandoulier like the french to carry the flag staff ?

Not that I've seen. The AB figures I use don't show one.
They're just carrying the flags, and I've never seen one with a bandoulier.

- Are the train and caisson for batalion gun the same as artillery ones ?

Yes they are the same. As they used the light 6lb for the Musketeers and Grenadiers. I would use a 4 horse team instead of a 6 horse team with them though.

The fusilers used a 3lb gun, but they didn't have them with them at Jena/Auerstadt. So I'm unsure if the went with 4 or even a 2 horse team.

John

Rawkins gives scarlet saddlecloths edged with lace in the appropriate colour for the regiment (silver or gold). Black leatherwork.

It's conceivable that standard bearers might have worn the black oilskin flag cover over their shoulder if pictures from the SYW are anything to go on. But given the option of painting a belt on an AB Prussian standard bearer, I opt for comforting white as they belts are for other equipment.

Ian

Heer und Tradition print no 76 shows a standard bearer wearing black sash with what looks like a leather bucket at the bottom to support the pole. It also shows a black pouch on the centre of his white waistbelt, which I suppose would also be used for the flagpole.

Send me a PM & I will send you a copy of the plate.

no bandolier for carrying the colours, the colour cover was worn around the waist (contemporary picture) and not across the shoulder (as Menzel showed it)- this is for infantry.

in case you mean standards – as for cavalry, the matter is different.

As for the saddle cloth of the mounted officers, I couldn't find anything in the Kling – in the 7YW there were seemingly no rules at all and different coloured saddle cloths were worn, but in 1806?? A good question.
The saddle itself – brown leather

My sources say blue saddlecloth with the trim according to the button color (gold or silver).

Bandolier – what I've seen matches what von Winterfeldt has stated.

I cannot find a source stating any colour, the only contemporary picture – and it is 7YW shows red saddle cloth, but then again the regimental facing is red as well.

It could be that the saddle cloth was matching the regimental colour.

BTW, if you want a cheap trawl around the world of German uniform plates, try the NYPL Digital Gallery at: link

Scroll down a bit to get to the Prussians.

It isn't necessarily helpful in this instance.

The SYW plate I have shows a red saddlecloth for the 54th, but the NYPL plates for the SYW have several with blue saddlecloths (generals with red). Therefore, in the absence of concrete information, you could make a "colonel's decision" and paint the saddlecloths in the facing colour, or blue, or red as takes your fancy (especially if the facing colour doesn't contrast well with the lace colour). As the colonel of the regiment, you'd be right… :-) Not the purist's angle, but in the absence of information it justifies a choice of paint colour rather than leaving it as primer.

Despite a good personal library, I still have to make the colonel's decision on colours – especially when sources conflict, or in the pure absence of information. They are my regiments, after all.

Ian

Thank you very much for all your coments and ideas and thanks for the different lnks too, they are very valuable and very helpful.

It is great to see that there still are guys with great knowledge on TMP

Thanks Gentlemen

cheers

Franck
FG Miniz